I read with great amusement the signs posted throughout the village that spotlight the self-named Jean Team (Mr. Schneiderman, Ms. Green and Mr. Finkston) who describe themselves as “Experienced, Dedicated, Effective.” So I thought I would take this opportunity to break these terms down and offer a few other adjectives to describe those running our local government and hoping that a write-in effort won’t destroy their livelihood.
Experienced. Perhaps they describe themselves in this way because they are in fact experienced at selfishly placing their needs ahead of the community’s. “Experienced” is a regularly used term by politicians who want to make their constituents believe that they bring something to the table that makes them stand above all others.
With respect to this group of politicians, I think they accomplished that. Gerry Schneiderman is experienced at taking benefits from the community while ignoring the many quality of life issues that continue to plague us (doing nothing to address the dangers that confront us every day as people run stop-signs in our village, is one of things that pop into my head).
Marion Green is experienced at sitting on the stage at Village Hall during every trustee meeting and never raising an issue, never offering up legislation that would improve the community in some way, and never disagreeing with the mayor, a fact so prevalent that upon reviewing her voting record she appears to support the mayor 100 percent of the time.
Neil Finkston is experienced at sitting behind the justices’ bench and supporting a broken system that continues to sustain the Plaza’s overbearing parking regulations and enforcement procedures that make it near impossible to park in the village.
Dedicated. Perhaps this term was chosen because trustees Schneiderman and Green are dedicated to supporting the status quo, a system that is designed to better only the lives of Plaza politicians and not the people who put them in office. I for one appreciate their public acknowledgement of being dedicated to failed economic policies, burdensome barriers to entry for new businesses, shameful self-promoting political tactics, and a reckless dependency on a part-time mayor whose singular success is securing grant money from our nearly bankrupt state.
Effective. Perhaps this term is most accurate. The three politicians running for office in the Plaza are effective. That is, effective at ignoring the fact that 6,000 people reside in the village.
The success of this approach comes in the form of voter apathy, where most people fail to head to the polls and let their voice be heard. Instead, the outcome of each election is determined in great part by the mayor’s political machine that drains the assisted living centers of absentee ballots. (I wonder aloud if anyone has ever checked the validity of the reasons stated on the applications required to garner absentee ballots, and then checked those cast ballots against current voter registration records in the Plaza. Hmm. What an interesting thought!)
Time and complacency drive this political bunch. Their skills are unproven. Their record is void of action. Their representation is disappointing.
I continue to think that the best option for Plaza residents is to go to the polls in droves and vote for write-in candidates.
Michael S. Glickman
Great Neck
